Does Laughing Gas Really Make You Laugh?

Sedation dentistry is the use of safe, FDA-approved medications to help dental patients relax during their treatments. Nitrous oxide offers the lightest level of sedation available. It’s often called “laughing gas,” but it doesn’t actually make you laugh. Nitrous oxide works to induce a state of calmness and relaxation. It can also cause patients to feel a sense of euphoria. While patients are enjoying this altered state of mind, the dentist can perform any sort of procedure—from dental fillings to root canals.

Because laughing gas makes dental patients fully relaxed, they may be more likely to laugh when they encounter something humorous. However, laughing gas won’t make a patient suddenly start laughing for no reason at all.